Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-01
WEDNESDAY,. ..... MAY 81, 1887.
Extra Session of Congress.

There are not a few persons who hold
that the President ought 10 convene Con-
gress IN extra session in October next;
and there are not q few who believe that
he will do so. Some OF the New York aud
Philadelphia papers are strenuous advo-
Gates OF an extra session.
Certainly there is an immense surplus OF
money In the Treasury, and certainly this
money ought TO be transferred from the
Treasury, where 1t is living idle and I'M
productive, to the hands of the people.
who would soon find profitable use for 1t.
One Of our exchanges says that it is now
too late TO relieve the Treasury during
the current 6scai wear, and that there
will be ample time TO prepare for the next
fiscal year at the regular session OF Con-
cress. Experience tells different story.
II Congress shall not meet before the first
Monday in December, the fins; month or
more Of its next regular session will be
thrown away. That body seldom does
ANYTHING before the middle OF January.
The existing Congress Is a new Congress.
Consequently the speaker OF the House Of
Representatives will have to appoint new
committees when il assemblies. This is
not the work Of day, but will occupy
weeks. SO that unless there be an
extra session, our plethOric Treasury can
hope for ne relief before next spring. But
il is important that this relief shall come
AS soon as possible. If It cannot be had
let it come as soon as possible during the
next fiscal year. There are three hundred
and twenty-five voting members in the
House Of Representatives, and eight non
voting members. In order TO get such
body INTO working trim at an early
DAY after ITS members come together, il is
indispensable that il shall meet more than
three weeks before Christmas. The day for
the next regular session to commence will
be the 9Th Of December-not three weeks
before Christmas. II may, therefore. be set
down rs certain that Mr.. CARLISLE will
hardly have time to appoint all the COM
UtIOAt NOu-if-N " III TAM W. Nbi iob-
mas recess. This recess will run into
January. When will there be any protita.
BILE legislation:
As the members Of Congress will receive
no extra pay on account Of their attendance
upon an extra session, the cost Of it need
not be counted. But this we should regard
as consideration hardly worthy OF being
mentioned even il the members were to be
paid a double price for attending extra ses-
sions.
To convene Congress in extra session
would be 10 emphasize in the strongest
manner the fact that there was something
TO be done that called for immediate action.
We believe that Congress would do more
work in October and November than in
four months OF regular session.
1t is the surplus in the Treasury that is
most frequently given a the reason why
Congress should meet i'm extra session.
But that is not the only matter demanding
action. The internal.reyenue laws ought
TO be repealed. The Atlanta Constitution
states the case strongly, but not too
strongly we hope, when il says that the
rank and file Of the Democratic party, in
common with the people Of the whole
country, are in favor Of abolshing the
despotic internal-reyenue system. But 1t
goes too far when it adds that their deter
mination is such that If the Democratic
leaders $50 called IN Congress refuse to
undertake the JOB Of repeating this Rus.
sian system the party itself will 20 TO pieces
in tue great States where the expressions
of the internal-reyenue laws are most
keenly felt.
The tariff needs revision. Abolish all
internal taxes, and take the tariff Of sugar,
thus reducing it, price by one half il our
anii.Protectionists' theories on that subject
are sound, and we shall be compelled to
frame a revenue tariff, or one much more
nearly approxim iting the revenue standard
than does the present one.
In order 10 accomplish all these objects
Congress must meet before December.